Storage Container For Meat Or Poultry Products

ABSTRACT

A meat or poultry storage device incorporating a base member that includes a recessed surface portion surrounded by a peripheral outwardly extending ledge and sealing surface. The recessed surface portion of the base also has a plurality of longitudinally oriented channels formed therein to accommodate juices which may exude from the stored produce. Likewise, there is provided a closuring member having peripheral dimensions corresponding to those of the sealing surface of the base so that a snug supporting fit is achieved therebetween.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,863,833 Swett et al. Feb. 4, 1975 [54]STORAGE CONTAINER FOR MEAT OR 3,756,493 9/1973 Holmes 229/55 POULTRYPRODUCTS 3,797,730 3/1974 Zach 229/43 [75] Inventors: James B. Swett,Barrington, R.l.;

Robert H. C. M. Daenen, Erembodegem, Belgium [73] Assignee: DartIndustries Inc., Los Angeles,

Calif.

[22] Filed: Aug. 13, 1973 [2]] App]. No.: 387,646

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 194,885,Nov. 2, 1971,

abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 229/43, 229/55 [51] Int. Cl B65d 5/64, B65d 43/00 [58]Field of Search 229/43, 2.5, 5.5; 220/60 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,055,540 9/1962 Ringlen 220/60 Primary ExaminerLeonardD. Christian Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenneth J. Hovet; Leigh B. Taylor;Paul R. Wylie [57] ABSTRACT A meat or poultry storage deviceincorporating a base member that includes a recessed surface portionsurrounded by a peripheral outwardly extending ledge and sealingsurface. The recessed surface portion of the base also has a pluralityof longitudinally oriented channels formed therein to accommodate juiceswhich may exude from the stored produce. Likewise, there is provided aclosuring member having peripheral dimensions corresponding to those ofthe sealing surface of the base so that a snug supporting fit isachieved therebetween.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures HTENTEU FEB 41975 SHEET 2 OF 3 FIG. 3

FIG4

STORAGE CONTAINER FOR MEAT OR POULTRY PRODUCTS This is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 194,885, filed Nov. 2, 1971 now abandoned.

This invention relates to a storage and serving device for poultry andother meat produce and more particularly concerns a tray which may beused in the cutting, serving and storage of such produce.

It is known to place perishables in a container, cover the top with asealing material such as wax paper or aluminum foil, and thereafterstore the container in a refrigerator. This arrangement, however, doesnot provide an effective moisture barrier and, thus, the perishable isquickly dehydrated in the refrigerator. Similarly, containers have beenprovided which do effectively seal against dehydration and these areeven known to include removable trays upon which the perishables rest.Thus, the perishables are also easily removable from the container.Nonetheless, such devices have heretofore not been suitable for overalluse, especially in the cutting and serving of such produce. Instead,after the produce is removed from the container, it has been thepractice to transfer it to a cutting board or serving platter.

This device or container provides a low profile tray member that issuitably constructed to fulfill all of the requirements from storage toserving. For example, the shallow recessed area of the tray isconstructed so that the produce is mostly exposed for cutting or thelike and yet is positively retained therein out of contact with the trayor container sealing surface. Further, the ribbed bottom wall structureprovides an integral means for drainage of fluids from such produce andin one embodiment, a well for collection thereof is provided. Likewise,a closure is contemplated for placement upon the tray to convert thedevice for storage. The closure, of course, includes a sealing flangemember that is adapted to mate with the sealing surface on the tray tothereby provide an effective moisture and odor barrier.

The device therefore is particularly directed to the storage of meat,roasts, ham, poultry and the like wherein substantial portions of theperishable normally remain unconsumed at a single meal and thus requirestorage for a short period of time prior to subsequent use. Theinvention further facilitates the simple opening and closing of thecontainer and provides separate elements that are easily cleaned.

Additional features and advantages will become more apparent from adetailed review of the specification, claims and drawings wherein:

FIG. I is an exploded top perspective view of the storage and servingdevice;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the container showing the tray andclosure as assembled;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the assembled container taken along line3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the assembled container taken along line4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the assembled elements more clearlydepicting the engagement between the sealing flange and surface of theclosure and tray, respectively;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the container traywherein a well is provided adjacent one end thereof; and,

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of the container tray taken along line 7-7 ofFIG. 6.

Referring now to FIG. I, the combination closure and tray member 10 maybe seen in an exploded relationship. The closure 12, of course, includesa domelike top wall 14 and side walls I6, I8 which terminate in asealing flange 20 (FIG. 5) more fully described hereinbelow. As isobvious from the drawings, closure 12 slips onto the tray member 22 overthe outwardly extending ledge 24 and into engagement with sealingsurface 26.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, note that the tray 22 is integrallyformed of a bottom wall 28 which is configured so that a plurality oflongitudinally oriented raised rib areas 30 protrude above thechannellike portions 32. These ribs therefore support the meat productretained in the tray and any juices or fluids that may exude or draintherefrom are collected in the channels. Likewise, the meat itself isretained above and out of contact with such fluids by the ribs 30 andthus also enables the free circulation of air about the underside of thetray contents. The basic tray construction is completed by the integralside wall 34 which extends upwardly a short distance above the bottomwall. This extension thus provides a boundary wall to retain thefoodstuffs yet enables easy access thereto for cutting, garnishing andserving. Outwardly extending ledge 24 emanates from the upper limit ofside wall 34 and from it, sealing surface 26 projects downwardly. Thetray structure is completed by a lateral horizontally extending annularlip 36 projecting from the lower edge of sealing surface 26.

It should be appreciated that the tray 22 shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 isinvertible and may therefore be used in either position to form aclosured container. To achieve this double purpose effect, the tray sidewall 34 is extended below the bottom wall 28 as at 38. This extension 38then serves to properly position the closure 12 over the inverted trayso that the terminal ends of flange 20 will seat on the underside ofannular lip 36.

Although in the inverted position there is no positive sealing effectbetween flange 20 and lip 36, the head space of the two combinedelements is substantially reduced. Thus, in certain circumstances wherespace limitations become a factor, the inverted arrangement may bepreferred.

FIGS. 6 and 7 depict an alternative embodiment of serving tray member 22which contra to that shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 also includes a wellportion 40. Such well is located in the bottom wall 28 adjacent one endof the tray and the channels open thereto. Therefore, the fluids thatmay be collected in these channel-like portions 32 will drain toward andto the well and likewise will be collected there. This then provides astorage area for the fluids and same may be easily poured or otherwiseremoved from the tray with ease.

Referring now to FIG. 5, one will better appreciate the sealingtechnique which is preferably employed with this device. As has been setforth above, the tray sealing surface 26 and closure terminal sealingflange 20 are so dimensioned that as the closure is positioned on thetray, such areas come into mating and sealing engagement. Further, as isapparent in FIGS. 1-5, the closure side walls l6, l8 and flange 20 havepositioned therebetween a protruding peripheral rim 42. This rim isproximate the terminus of flange 20 and at a point that will resideapproximately opposite ledge 24 when the closure is in place on the tray22. This positioning supports the overall closure yet lends flexibilityto flange 20 so that same can resiliently contact all areas of thesealing surface 26. Likewise, the rim 42 will produce a light bindingeffect on sealing surface 26 at the outer extremity of ledge 24 tofurther create va viable seal.

An additional function of the noted ledge is, of course, to provide aready means for gripping the clo sure to remove same from the tray.

It is anticipated that the tray and closure can be fabricated from anyknown plastic material, however, it is preferred that the tray berelatively rigid and capable of withstanding the placement of hotperishables thereon.

We claim:

1. A storage and serving tray and closure combination adapted to holdconsumable foodstuffs and the like comprising: a tray member having arecessed bottom wall integral with an upwardly extending side wall, saidbottom wall being integrally constructed to include a plurality ofraised rib areas adapted to support the foodstuff so that the remainingchannel-like portion thereof will collect any fluids exuded thereby, theupper portion of said side wall having a cross-section in i the shape ofan inverted U with the top surface characterized by an outwardlyextending ledge with a downwardly projecting sealing surface thatterminates in a laterally extending annular lip all of which areintegral with said side and bottom walls, and a closure having a topwall and side walls, said side walls including a sealing flange areathat is adapted to sealably engage said sealing surface and which areais further supported by an outwardly protruding peripheral rim that ispositioned above the lower edge of said sealing flange area such that itis approximately opposite the outwardly extending ledge of said traywhen said closure is in sealing relation thereon.

2. A storage and serving tray and closure combination according to claim1 wherein the tray of said bottom wall also includes a well portionadjacent one end thereof into which fluid will flow from saidchannel-like portions.

3. A storage and serving tray and closure combination according to claim2 wherein said raised rib areas are longitudinally oriented in saidtray.

4. A storage and serving tray and closure combination according to claim1 wherein an annular extension of said tray side wall protrudesdownwardly below said bottom wall to such extent that upon inversion ofsaid tray said extension will position the closure with its terminalflange resting on said annular lip thus producing a convertible doublepurpose container.

1. A storage and serving tray and closure combination adapted to holdconsumable foodstuffs and the like comprising: a tray member having arecessed bottom wall integral with an upwardly extending side wall, saidbottom wall being integrally constructed to include a plurality ofraised rib areas adapted to support the foodstuff so that the remainingchannel-like portion thereof will collect any fluids exuded thereby, theupper portion of said side wall having a cross-section in the shape ofan inverted U with the top surface characterized by an outwardlyextending ledge with a downwardly projecting sealing surface thatterminates in a laterally extending annular lip all of which areintegral with said side and bottom walls, and a closure having a topwall and side walls, said side walls including a sealing flange areathat is adapted to sealably engage said sealing surface and which areais further supported by an outwardly protruding peripheral rim that ispositioned above the lower edge of said sealing flange area such that itis approximately opposite the outwardly extending ledge of said traywhen said closure is in sealing relation thereon.
 2. A storage andserving tray and closure combination according to claim 1 wherein thetray of said bottom wall also includes a well portion adjacent one endthereof into which fluid will flow from said channel-like portions.
 3. Astorage and serving tray and closure combination according to claim 2wherein said raised rib areas are longitudinally oriented in said tray.4. A storage and serving tray and closure combination according to claim1 wherein an annular extension of said tray side wall protrudesdownwardly below said bottom wall to such extent that upon inversion ofsaid tray said extension will position the closure with its terminalflange resting on said annular lip thus producing a convertible doublepurpose container.